South East Europe Health Network

The SEE Health Network is a political forum set up to coordinate, implement and evaluate the commitments of the Dubrovnik Pledge and its regional projects for developing health policy and services. The main purpose of the Network is to provide leadership and to sustain project ownership by the countries in the region.

The Network was founded in Sofia, Bulgaria, in April 2001 by the signatories of the Dubrovnik Pledge: Albania, Bosnia and Hezegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. At its fourth meeting in May 2002, the Network was further strengthened when joined by the Republic of Moldova and three neighbouring and donor countries: Greece, Hungary and Slovenia.

The Network comprises both representatives from the ministries of health of its member countries and representatives of intergovernmental organizations. The Network operates under the auspices of the Social Cohesion Initiative of the Stability Pact. Network meetings are held twice a year and decisions are based on the agreed principles of cooperation.

The projects developed by the Network are coordinated by regional project managers and implemented by country project mangers. In addition, technical advisers and other experts are connected to each project. This means that more than 150 people are involved in the Network at different political and technical levels.

The Network is supported by a secretariat run jointly by the Council of Europe and the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Projects

The major outcome of the political commitment to health in the Dubrovnik Pledge was the development of seven technical health projects. Each project is implemented in each SEE country at roughly the same time. The projects take effect at local and national level, strongly supported at regional level by close cross-border cooperation.

The purpose of the projects is to modernize and strengthen the national health policies, systems and services in each project area.

By mid-2005, six projects had been started, guided by three years of experience with the first project (on mental health). In 2006, a new project on maternal and neonatal health, and in 2007, a new project on strengthening public health services, were implemented.

The project areas are:

  • blood safety and blood components
  • communicable diseases surveillance and response
  • food safety and nutrition
  • maternal and neonatal health
  • mental health
  • occupational health services
  • social and health information systems
  • strengthening public health services
  • tobacco control

Leading role of the Republic of Moldova of the Maternal and neonatal health project

Neonatal mortality differs tremendously around the world. Even in the WHO European Region neonatal mortality differs substantially, with for instance 3/1000 in Italy and Slovenia, 4/1000 in Belgium and Greece, 32/1000 in Kazahkstan, and 27/1000 in Uzbekistan. In south eastern European (SEE) countries, neonatal mortality also varies from 16/1000 in the Republic of Moldova, to 5/1000 in Croatia

The project on strengthening national capacities for improving maternal and neonatal health in SEE was proposed by the Government of Norway and agreed by all SEE ministers of health at the Second Health Ministers Forum, Skopje, 25-26 November 2005. Norway provides political, technical and financial support. The Republic of Moldova takes the lead role in the spirit of the SEE Health Network.

The overall purpose of the project is to plan and implement policies and actions to strengthen the health systems in SEE for reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality.

The project was launched in 2006. Its aims were to:

  • 1. Make a pre-feasibility study on the situation of neonatal mortality in the nine countries and the problems faced by the health systems to be tackled
  • 2. Define and agree on the common goals, objectives, outputs, activities, managerial set up, implementation plan and budget
  • 3. Sign a Decision for implementation at the 14th Meeting of the SEE Health Network, November 2006